Zatchbell: Trees of Deception
by 4fireking
Summary: Kousuke is a fifteen year old boy who is short, ugly, hunchbacked and hated by everyone. His own mother commited suicide for reasons beyond his knowledge and his father works three shifts hoping to avoid him. Kousuke hates himself worst of all. Until one day he meets a Mamodo with green hair. Then, darkness arises as fog stirs, the battles have begun.
1. Chapter 1

Everyone was disgusted by Kosuke Amai-the voted ugliest boy in the human race. Everyone in middle school wrote in his yearbook most likely to die alone, most likely

to die of heart failure, one man; three eyes, pig-face, and Quezimoto-the hunchback of Notre Damne.

Kosuke was small, not midget sized but small like a kid, always wore his black school uniform even during the warm seasons, kept his collar open as he liked to feel a

breeze in his neck, and in the nape of his neck he had a lavender bow tied behind his short, black hair.

" Mr. Amai, could you paraphrase what's written on page sixty-nine paragraph five of your textbook."

Kosuke was in school sitting by his desk. Since Kosuke had no friends and no one to talk too, he spent his days just sitting by his desk studying. The class he had now

was English. Kosuke stood from his hair, which was a bad idea because he was short and only his eyes and hair were seen, and started reading.

" **I'm a diva. I don't need anyone but myself. People may look poorly at me, but I will never look poorly on myself."**

" Very good. Of course I would expect nothing less from you. You may be seated."

" Thank you, O' wise sensei." Kosuke would've bowed to show how humble he was, but he was short; his head would just hit the edges of his desk. Kosuke sat back on his

desk and pulled himself forward. As he sat on his desk he could hear the heinous voices of his classmates echoing in his head.

" _Stupid frog-face bastard."_

" _Shhh. He can hear you."_

" _Who cares. It's not like he has feelings or anything. He's just frog-face."_

" _I wonder if he has nucous. Like frog nucous. I bet his tongue looks like a frogs."_

"_I hear his mother commited suicide. Maybe it's because her son is a monster like him."_

"_Who would ever like a frog-face, hunchback like him?"_

" Cretins. They can say whatever they want about me, but I don't give a damn about them. Everyone can just die for all I care. But I just wish...I could change this

world."

XXX " Hey, the marks from last weeks test are up."

" Really? I want to see my mark. I want to see my mark."

The test was on Math. Just like every test Kosuke was top ranked.

" Hey, Kosuke," Kosuke's teacher Mr. Kudazarou said. " The work you did was stellar. You even answered my bonus question."

" Hmrph. Wasn't too hard."

" There were twenty questions plus my bonus question. Twenty. That's a large number."

" Yeah, if your an idiot. All this talking is tedious. Is there anything you'd like to do besides being a nuisance?"

" Nope. I just wanted to congragulate you on your good work. And I hope you continue to excel in your subjects and join Kadoka University."

" University? Ha."

" Ha? What is Ha for?"

" Oh nothing. I'm sure it must be fun, after cram school and entrance exams I go to college, go to a place I've hardly even heard of, living with a college roommate,

sitting by a desk, studying, having to remember everything I learn so I can get good grades and graduate so I can get a job, and the entire time that's happening...I'm

dying a little inside."

" Dying? Why are you dying, Kosuke?"

" Why you ask? It's nothing. I just remember a story my parents told me when I was a kid. I would go to school, learn new things, fly away to a vast or mysterious

place, or whatever the hell they told me; excuse my cursing, and grow up to raise a family of my own. It seems no matter what I do...I'm journeying through the same

road, but everything is falling apart. Do you know what I'm trying to tell you, sensei."

" No, I've never heard those words from anyone, Kosuke. Maybe your just thinking too inside the box. Tell me, how many friends do you have?"

" Friends? Who needs them. They do nothing but irk me, make me buy them things, take me to places I don't even like, and never stop trying to pestimisstic about

everything. They'll do nothing but rot my brain."

" I see. Believe it or not, Kosuke, I too used to have problems making friends when I was your age."

" Nooo (sarcasm). Really (sarcasm)?"

" Oh yes. I was a complete and total mess. It wasn't until I got into Kadoka University where I dedazzled them with the power of Philately."

" Philately?"

" Stamp collecting. Don't give up hope, Kosuke. I'm sure an interesting boy such as yourself will make plenty of friends. Until then..." Mr. Kudazarou took out a book

with Philately etched on the cover in red and handed it to Kosuke. " This aught to make great company for you."

" Gee thanks."

XXX

It was a long walk from school to Kosuke's home. He didn't trust buses. There were lots of bullies, tyrants of kids in their waiting to pick on the shortest one they

could find, which was always Kosuke because he was small, ugly, and had terrible oder from not wearing deoderant and gingivitis, hench the name Frog-face. Kosuke

skitted through the book Mr. Kudazarou gave him, looked at every word with hsi powerful eyes and photographic memory, then closed it.

" Philately helps you make friends." Kosuke passed a recyle bin on the sidewalk. He tossed the bok behind his back and it fell into the recycle bin. " Fooey." Kosuke kept walking towards home, but he stopped when he comtemplated everything about his life. " I'm a schmuck. I'm repulsive, friendless, motherless, my own father

works three shifts just so he doesn't get to see my bulgy eyes, nobody wants to be near a schmuck like me." A smile spread over Kosuke's face as he laughed to himself.

" Not that I care. I'm already exceeding everyone in my school, why should I care about those blockheads? When I grow up, I will be a workaholi-"

Kosuke heard a rumbling noise in the distance. At first he thought it was just a man on a motorcycle. That's when he saw him-a little boy running on the street with a

green book in his hands. The boy was even smaller than Kosuke, wore silver fur pelts, with a green cape wrapped around his neck, and open-soled sandals. The boy had

blue eyes, spiky green hair, and a three-pointed spike scar under his right eye.

" Run!" The boy shouted. " Their coming! Their coming!"

" Who's coming?" Kosuke asked. " Why are you runnin-"

The green haired boy rammed right into Kosuke. Kosuke fell at the hands of the boy, fell on the ground, but got back up and growled at his face while gritting his

teeth.

" Hey, what the hell is wrong with you. Have you been eating too many crepes, kid? Don't run into people, you idiot!"

" It's not nice to call someone an idiot," the boy replied. " And your a kid too."

" I'm not a kid. I'm fifteen years old. I just stopped growing after the fourth grade."

" You have to run! You have to help me! Their coming after me."

" Woah, woah, one word at a time, capeesh. Who is after you and why are you yelling?"

" There's no time to explain. Bad men are after me. One of them is a pony."

" A pony? What's so scary about a cute lil pony-"

Kousuke stopped talking when he saw a bright flash of flourescent light in the distance. Kousuke couldn't believe his eyes. Wherever the light came from, whoever was

making them, he could see their shadow as they turned the corner. From the shadows came a dark, quadruped, silver striped beast with bright yellow eyes and two small

horns protruding from its head.

" That's not a pony! It's a monster!"

Riding the pony was a man whose body was obscene under the darkness of the shadows. In the darkness...it almost looked as though he was headless. Kousuke turned to the

boy for an explanation of what was going on, but it turned out the boy had fled when his back was turned. He heard the beasts' hooves stomping on the pavement three

times and felt an exothermic temperature burning the nape of his neck where his bow was. The monster was going to attack.

" Let's go, Hex," a dark and senile voice said in the shadows.

Kousuke looked back at the man in the shadows. He could see him thrusting a scabbard with a katana inside towards the sky. Kousuke feared the man would mowel him with

his katana. The dark covered beast charged straight towards Kousuke about to throttle him. In what appeared to be his last moment's alive, Kousuke shielded himself

with his arms.

XXX

" Help me!" A young woman was running away from two serial killers. She just witnessed one of them kill a man. The way the other one killed him...it was unimaginable.

" Please, someone, save me!"

The sun was still shining the same incandescent ray from the morning, yet there was no one walking around who could help the poor girl. She ran as fast as she could

away from the two killers. Her running led her into a dark alleyway. She ran parallel, horizontally, zigzagging away from the two killers. Not paying much attention to

her surroundings, she ended up running into a wall.

" Oh no!"

The woman had nowhere else to go. She could hear the sound of their footsteps walking behind her. The woman ran towards the wall, jumped on the wall, and tried

climbing the wall, only fell down when her high heels broke. The woman tried again and again trying to climb the wall, but every time she just ended up falling.

Finally, she saw both their shadows sulking up towards her.

" Please don't do this," the girl cried to them. " I'll give you money. My father's a surgeon. If you let me go he'll write anything you wan-"

" Kabosaka!"

From the darkness faint grey light glowed out of the man's book. From the darkness a giant buzz saw came out. The girl flinched when the blade was fired at her and

ripped through her torso. The blade disemboweled her. Her upper body fell on the ground as she still had her frightened expression. Just to insult her grave one of the

man kicked a plastic recycable water bottle at her.

" Human's are pathetic creatures," one of the men in the shadows said. " Why do you even want to kill them, Rin-shin?"

" Why...why?" Rin-shin-the killer-he laughed at his partner's comment. " Because I want to, that's why. And with you by my side, Osrhie, no one will be able to stop

me."


	2. Chapter 2

Kosuke Amai had his hands over his head-scared of the beast with the four hooves-and trembled in fear as he awaited the moment where the beast would stomp all over him. But that moment never came. What really happened was Kosuke opened his eyes and saw that the beast was gone. No hoof marks on the street, nothing was torched, and there were no signs of people screaming anywhere-no people were in the streets at all. It all seemed just an elusive dream.

" Hmmm. Maybe I'm just sleep deprived. I have been staying up late hoping to surpass everyone in studying. But why didn't I feel any of the symptoms: tiredness, bad concentration, dizziness, of feeling off balance. Then again I have been feeling a little depressed. Depression is one symptom of sleep deprived. Ack! What am I doing standing around here thinking about nothing? I got to get home!"

XXX

A homicide investigation was taking place in an alleyway. The victim, who was found by an Armenian couple just walking their dog, was having an autopsy done to her. The killer was either too stupid or too naïve when he attempted the murder and left behind an empty soda can. Or so the police thought. But when they did an autopsy on the can, no fingerprints were found. It was like the person was from a different world.

" So who's the victim?" A detective asked one of the policemen.

" According to our database her name is Kakuya Mika. She seems to be a college student who's father is a brain surgeon. It says here her mother divorced him for a younger man."

" I guess with all that brain surgery operating on other people's brains he couldn't read his own wife? Well now she'll need to know her only child is in limbo. What was the murder weapon?"

" Hard to say. She was cut in half from the waist. We tried matching her cut wounds with all our other weapons but none of them can make a straight line like hers did. The only weapon we can think of that can do that much damage is a chainsaw."

" That's not the murder weapon."

" Huh? How do you know?"

" Because they were running. The whole pneumonia about killers being able to run with chainsaws is just a hoax. When you run with one there's a high chance you can slip and cut through yourself. Also, I don't think this was a one person plan. I think there were two people here?"

" Huh? What makes you say that?"

" Check out the ground. There's dirt on it. "

" There's dirt everywhere. That doesn't mean anything."

" It does when it's brown. All the dirt-or should I say gravel here is black. I'm guessing these events started in a forest."

" Maybe he was trying to have his way with her. We could run an autopsy to see if we can find any spermicide."

" No, no, your head is too inside the box. You need to expand your horizon. This wasn't about lust, greed, or even love. This was an act of pride. Whoever was here wanted to prove they were powerful. He probably wants you to find him, found the most interesting person he could think of, then lead us to him like moth's to a candlelight. We wants to fight you."

" Your speaking a little crazy there. Why would anyone want to fight against a police officer?"

" I don't know. Now if you'll excuse me."

The detective walked away from the crime scene and walked to his car. Inside he expected to find his little bundle of joy. Richie however was nowhere to be seen looking through the glove compartment where he left him. It wasn't until he heard a flicker of a cigarette lighter that he knew Richie was behind him. The young boy was playing with the match, burning his hand, and looking at it with unwavering eyes.

Richie was ten years old. At least that's what the detective assumed by how short he was, but judging by how he acted he could've well been over twenty or thirty years old. Richie's hair was orange with yellow streaks just like fire, his clothes were a black muscle shirt that showed off his small muscular chest, he had a obi sash wrapped around his waist, an unwavering face, and grey eyes that twinkled every time he looked at fire.

" This is boooooorrring," Richie said while lighting his hand on fire. Richie squeezed his hands over the fire where it quickly diminished. " Why am I partnered with a dull guy like you?"

" Because you like chocolate. And I just happen to go out and buy you chocolate. Now get back in the car. I'm working."

" No way, old man. It's stuffy in there. If I have to spend another moment in that car of yours I'll burn it."

" Do that and the fuel will explode. Now if you don't get back in that car right now, and don't keep your mouth hushed, I'm going to stop giving you candy."

" What? No, don't take away my sweets. I'm a kid. Kids love candy."

" Haha. Age always wins."

XXX

" Dad I'm home. Dad? Oh right, he's working late. God, I feel like an orphan."

Kosuke had cram school starting very soon. Kosuke did what he always did when he got home. Placed his book bag down, walked up to the TV to turn on the news, listened to the news as he walked to the refrigerator, and made himself something to eat. Kosuke felt like a tuna sandwich.

" **Today, the remains of a person were found in a wood chipper. In other news a Corsican woman in her late sixties had just swam from her country all the way over to the UN today. Surviving only on fruit and fish, she has lost all memory of who she once was."**

**" **Must be sweet to forget who you are," Kosuke said as he was rummaging through the fridge and pulled out two tuna fish sandwiches in plastic wrap. " I would give anything to go somewhere I don't know and lose my memory's. And maybe...just maybe...they can get rid of my hunchback, make me taller, and maybe...make me feel like a human being."

" **Today two boys were found fighting just below a bridge. Reports say one boy fired giant blocks of ice and another fired laser beams. In the end they say a giant shield came out of the ground and the other boy disappeared."**

" What?" Kosuke's arms shaked at the thought of the two boys fighting. He dropped his tuna fish sandwich and the plate broke on contact with the ground.

" **Though there is no proof of this sighting actually taking place, be on guard for anything that looks suspicious." **

" _All these feelings are escalating inside of me. If I don't get rid of them now then I'm going to burst. That thing that happened...it wasn't a dream? What's going on in his dumb town? "_


	3. Chapter 3

" _Another night in cram school. Another lecture. Another problem I have to deal with. I wonder what life is like for others. Just one row behind me is a boy obsessed with 2D dimensional drawings, the guy sitting one row next to me is a jerk who wants nothing more than to torture kids, and the person sitting next to me is who I like to call Little Miss Princess. Another night. Another day. And yet I can't quit thinking something new is going to happen."_

XXX

All the others kids were going to be picked up by their parents. Not Kousuke. He had to walk home. Even though it was raining, even though it was a long walk, and even though Kousuke was wet and didn't have anything to keep him dry, Kousuke had to deal with it until he got home.

" I hear that a parent gives their kids a treat in one of those special moments. I wonder if I have enough money for a book. Or maybe some music CD's. No, I think I should just go home and help myself to some fish and chips. Fish, the perfect brain food to a growing body like mine."

Something didn't look right. As Kousuke walked towards home he saw someone writhing in pain. What he saw was a little girl, short green hair with bobby pins in her frame, a one piece white dress, cute oval emerald eyes. As she sat Kousuke could see her underwear, which were black stripped tiger under.

" _Can you believe it? Wearing such risqué things. That future little..."_

Something didn't look right about the poor girl. Not only was she writhing in pain but their were scars on her legs. Her eyes were shaky. Kousuke could tell just by looking at her that she was hungry and in great pain.

" _Walk away . Just walk away. This is none of your business. This is none of your..." _Kousuke couldn't control his feet. He walked straight towards the little girl and looked her straight in the eyes. The little girl, who was shaky all over, looked back at him. " Hey there. Are you lost? Where are your parents?"

" My parents...?" The girl weeped tears from her eyes. " My parents..."

" Yeah, you know. Mom and dad. The whole choate. Why aren't your parents here? Are you waiting for them?"

" Parents...?"

The girl was in more pain than Kousuke originally thought. She lost all consciousness and fell to the ground. Luckily for her she was caught by Kousuke. Kousuke shaked her around in his arms, but she was so wiped out she wouldn't wake up.

" Come on, come on. Wake up. Come on. Hmrph! I really don't want to do this." Kousuke used what little strength he had on his body and threw the girl on his hunchback. Holding both hands on her tush he carried her towards the police station. " How can I be doing this for such a useless girl?"

XXX

" I'm sorry sir but we don't have her face in any of our records. Nor do we have any information on her parents."

" What. How can something as profound as this happen? Don't you have anything on her?"

" I'm sorry. We do however have a Lost Child program. If you just leave her here maybe I can send someone over to take care of her until someone shows up. And if no one does come we can always send her to an orphanage."

" An orphanage? Why would she want to go somewhere where she'll be surrounded by strangers?"

" Sir, trust me, this isn't just any ordinary orphanage we pick at random. My sister runs this orphanage. Ever since I was growing up she's always been good at babysitting and really likes children of all size and all age no matter whether their boy or girl."

" That sounds nice. I guess now I won't have to worry if I leave her in your hands. Farewell I guess."

" Okay. Would you like me to call an officer to drive you home? We're not a chauffeur program we know but we just can't let you walk home in this rain. Perhaps we can call your parents and they can come pick you up."

" Forget that. If my parents wanted to pick up a lost cause like me they would've picked me up after cram school. Goodbye and farewell, officer."

Kousuke turned around and walked to the door of the police station. It wasn't until his hands were touching the door did he start to think. All sorts of ideas started coursing through his mind. Finally, they pointed him in the direction of the girl where he gritted his teeth in frustration.

" Fuckin' shit." Kousuke turned around and walked back to the counter as he stared back up at the police officer behind the desk. " Hey. Would it be alright if she stayed with me for the time being?"

" Huh? I don't know. We'll need a signature from a parent or a guardian for that to happen. How old are you?"

" I'm fifteen years old."

" That's what I'm saying. You'll need to be at least old enough to drink before you can take such responsibility."

" Please. I just think she'll feel better if she's staying with me than with some police officer."

" I still just can't that. I'll lose my job if word of this was to ever get out."

" Come on. Please, please, please. How long do I need to beg like a dog before you're going to listen to me?"

" Hmmm. I think I can arrange for you to take her home, but only on the off chance that you two are closely related. You two wouldn't happen to be cousins, would you?"

" Well a...yes, we are cousins. The happiest cousins in the whole wide world. Hehe."

" Really. Can you please tell me what the name of your cousin is then?"

" _Dammit. How did I get myself in this situation. Okay, I need to think fast. Here hair is green, green as in leaves, leaves as in trees...so her name should be..." _Kousuke cleared his throat preparing to speak to the officer. " Hikari. Her name is Hikari."

XXX

" So this is really where you live?" A police officer asked dropping Kousuke back at his home.

" Yeah. You have a problem with that?"

" Not at all. I'm just thinking that looking at this helps me realize that my life isn't really that bad. Anyways, you take care now. I'll check up on you two tomorrow morning. Oh, and don't try to leave your home until morning."

" B-But I have school tomorrow."

" I'm sorry but it's standard protocols. Anyways, please take care."

The police officer drove away either heading back to his house or back to the station. No sooner did he leave did Kousuke turn around and walked away, young girl Hikari sleeping in his arms, and walked straight for his home. He however didn't realize that at the same time two pairs of eyes were leering at him and Hikari. In the bushes someone was laughing.

" I knew I sensed a Mamodo around here somewhere. And lookie here. Taking her out will be easy pickin'."


	4. Chapter 4

Kosuke was in a bath tube with the little girl he found on the streets. He had a sponge in his hands. Kosuke scrubbed her back, wearing nothing but his swim trunks, and growled like a lion through his mouth.

" _I must look like a pedophile right now. Why do I have to give this girl a bath? Her bodies so small and so fragile I wonder if she could break. Must not think about it. I'm just going to give this girl a bath, cook her dinner, and send her straight to bed. Tomorrow I'm going to give her back to the police."_

Kosuke finished scrubbing the little girls' back. Her entire back was killed with scars and bruises. Either she liked hurting herself like a young masochist or someone bruised her. All that was left was for him to get out of the tube to give her a towel, but he was hugged by her. Kosuke was frozen stiff like an icicle, his blood becoming rapidly hot, she rubbed her hair against his stomach.

" Daddy," the girl said rubbing Kosuke's stomach. " Daddy, where are you?"

" _What the fuck? Who's her daddy? Is she the one who gave her these scars?"_

" Daddy. Please sing to me daddy. Sing to me like you use too. Daddy..."

" _A song? I don't know any songs. My parents never sang to me. They said they only got married because they were drunk and daddy knocked her up."_

" Daddy...Daddy, why aren't you saying anything to me?"

" There's a light at the end of every road-or something like that,"

" You feel so cold, my dear..."

" But do not be afraid, for I am here."

" I'm here to protect you,"

" I will always keep you safe,"

" For you are my one and only and I love you..."

" My dear."

" Daddy...?" The girl finally opened her eyes and looked into the eyes of Kousuke, smiled. " Are you my big brother?"

" What? No I'm not your frickin' big brother. My name is Kousuke. Kousuke Amai. You were just dreaming about your real family. You fell asleep on the ride home in the police car and I decided to take care of you until the police can find your real family."

" So you're my big brother? You called me Hikari."

" I only called you that because I didn't know your real name. What is your real name, little girl?"

" Hikari."

" I'm sorry-what?"

" Hikari is the name my big brother gave me. My name is Hikari."

" You don't have to call yourself that stupid same. You should use your real name. You should-"

" Do you want me to be a boy or girl?"

" What?"

" My big brother is suppose to chose whether I'm boy or girl. So which one should I be, big brother."

" I-I...I think you should just be you."

" Really? Thank you, big brother.

" But if you are to live here, don't steal anything. I have a photographic memory. Before you leave I'm going to make sure nothing is missing. Now you wait here while I go make dinner."

Kousuke got out of the bathtub and journeyed towards the door. He closed the door to the bathroom and journeyed down the hall towards the kitchen. Hikari stayed in the tube. She dipped her mouth under the water thinking about Kousuke, then she smiled.

" _He really is a good big brother. I wonder if he's my partner for this battle. But can I really stay here? I'm filthy. I'm filthy from the bones down. They did this to me. If he knew what they did...big brother would hate me."_

XXX

Hikari was watching from the small television set while Kousuke was making dinner. Hikari watched a cartoon where a talking broccoli and a talking carrot were together talking about the " true meaning of friendship" while Kousuke growled to himself-none of anything they said helped him get any friends. Kousuke finally fished the food, ramen, and poured it in a bowl.

" TV off. Come and get it. Dinner's ready."

" Dinner? You really made dinner for me, big brother?"

" It's nothing. In Japan it's we make our own food or we do not eat. Just get over her and eat your dinner. It's ramen."

Hikari ran straight for the table for dinner. Kousuke prepared a high chair for her. It was the same high chair he had when he was her age. Hikari stood on the high chair and tried grabbing the ramen with her hands, but she was slapped by Kousuke.

" What are you some kind of animal? You eat ramen with cutlery." Kousuke handed two pairs of chopsticks to Hikari. " Now eat."

" What are those?"

" Your kidding me. You're really never used chopsticks? Have you been living in a cave?"

" Yes."

" Yes-what?"

" Yes I've been living in a cave. I woke up one morning and I was in a cave. I don't remember what happened back then but when I woke up I was covered in bruises and scratches."

" Hmm. Maybe you've suffered amnesia. Anyways, eat your ramen using chopsticks. I'll teach you how." Kousuke grabbed Hikari's right hand and squeezed it. " You only use one hand for chopsticks. Keep the gap open between your middle and pinky finger. One piece at a time you squeeze the piece and shove it in your mouth. Now you try."

Hikari did everything that Kousuke told her. Soon she was eating away at the ramen, one strand at a time, while Kousuke watched her. Kousuke finally got bored of watching her eat and walked upstairs.

" Your going to need pyjamas for bed. You can sleep in my bed. I'll be sleeping on the floor."

" Buw wer't yue bee cold ( But won't you be cold)?" Hikari asked with food still in her mouth.

" Don't talk with food in your mouth. And the floor should be enough for me. I have a hunchback how much worse can my back get? Just eat."

Kousuke left Hikari to his room. Hikari stayed silent continuing eating from her bowl of ramen while looking at Kousuke.

" _He really is a nice guy. He's going out of his way to help garbage like me."_

XXX

Hikari was dressed in yellow pyjamas with small pink pokka dots. Why his mother bought it for him he would never know. Kousuke just fluffed Hikari's pillow as he tucked her in.

" There. Now go to sleep. I have school tomorrow and I'd rather not refrain from sleep."

" Wait. Can you please read me a bedtime story."

" Hell no. Go to sleep."

" Can you please just sing to me?"

" Ugh. Fine. Rock abye Hikari in the hot oven..."

" Into my mouth for dinner and shoovin',"

" I want a real song! Something that comes from the heart!"

" Look sister, I don't know where you were raised but here in Japan we have no hearts."

" Yes you do. Everyone has a heart. You just haven't found it. Can't you please just read to me."

" Ugh. Fine. There is this one song I think I heard."

" In my world there's nothing I can do..."

" My tenacity is high, my soul is meek, and my head is full,"

" I can feel what's running through my eyes,"

" Looking through the mirrors that are reflecting my life,"

" And though there are thing's I can never change..."

" I can always count on my own way."

Hikari was already sleeping soundly. She made small snoring sounds from her mouth as she was sleeping. Kousuke was about to leave her alone and head back to his run when he noticed a book on his desk. It wasn't any of his; Hikari must've left it there. It was a giant book made of green leather.

" _Hello. What's this." Kousuke walked to the book and picked it up. Kousuke skimmed through the book. " What's this. I can't read anything in this book. What language is it in? Oh, wait, there is this one word I can read._ _Thinking about it isn't going to help. I'll have to say it outloud._ Re...Rea...Re..."

At the same time Hikari was waking up from her sleep. There she saw Kousuke trying to read from her book and she gasped at it.

" Big brother, no!"

" Reontree!"

Something strange happened to Hikari. First her eyes turned white and then a giant tree grew out of her mouth. The tree grew bigger than Kousuke's room and broke through the ceiling. Kousuke was so surprised by his he fell down. What he saw next was Hikari, or what would be Hikari. Instead of her he saw the boy running with that book before cram school...a tree in his mouth.

" What...?Who...?Why...? What's going on?"

Before Hikari-what he still thought to be Hikari-could answer his question Kousuke noticed two people standing in the darkness. The light was dim, their faces were obscure, but in the darkness their eyes glowed bright red.

" Lookie what we have here. A Mamodo and his partner."

" Yes. A fascinating sight indeed. Now let's send the little Mamodo back to his own world, and let's kill the human."


	5. Chapter 5

Above Kousuke's head were two people: a boy and a man. The boy looked like Hikari, other than he was wearing a violet cape, had ruffled wrist clothes on his wrists and on his neck, short cut amber hair with a few bangs sticking out, demi-red and green eyes halved together, and wooden shoes that looked like they were worn by puppets.

The man seemed normal, which was scary for Kousuke because the boy he was with looked like an abut punk. He was a boy about Kousuke's age, twice as tall and had a straight back unlike Kousuke's hunchback, wore a jock shirt and red jeans, his hair was spiky black and he had a prominent muscular chin with a bright and happy smile.

" Who are you two?" Kousuke more angry than afraid of the two men who made a hole in his ceiling. " If you don't go now I'm calling the cops! There's one watching you right now so scat!"

" Is that so?" The tall one said. " Did you hear that, Osrhie? He's going to call the cops on us."

" Yes, I hear it too, Rin-shin," the small boy said with a snide attitude. " Is he anything like the police officer watching your house?"

" What? How did you know there was a police officer outside?"

" Let's just say the three of us had a little chat" the boy smirked. " I asked him if we may please have keys to the house-the one where a Mamodo was hiding. It's too bad. He should've said yes. Now I had to do something bad to him."

" What did you do to him? Answer me!"

" I asked my partner to open the book and please read our favorite spell. When that happened...we disembowelled his head from his body."

Kousuke trembled in fear. The words that passed through the young boys lips were senile and heartless. He sounded to be a boy without a conscious. Kousuke clenched his fists, gritted his teeth.

" BASTARD! How could you do that?"

" Because it's fun. It's fun to play a game where people die. Wouldn't you agree, Rin-shin?"

" Indeed I do, Osrhie. It's fun when their blood gushes out of their body. It's like something in a movie."

" This isn't a damn movie! That was a human life! You can't just kill people because you feel like it!"

" Why can't I? He was pathetic anyways. When he was still alive he stupidly took out a nightstick trying to whack us. When we had him he kept shouting " Captain, Captain, Captain please save me" then when he died he said " Aaaaaaaaaaaa..." Hahahaha!"

" _The bestiality. These two are both insane! I have to get Hikari and get out of here before they nab us next. "_

But when Kousuke looked at his bed he saw that Hikari was gone. Not only was she gone but the book Kousuke was reading also was missing. Kousuke ditched Hikari to save herself. Why she needed that book Kousuke hadn't the slightest idea, but he noticed the tall, handsome man carrying a book just like her; his was purple.

" Ready, Rin-shin."

" Ready, Orshie." Rin-shin the tall, muscular man opened the book and skimmed through it until he reached one page, stopped. " Kabosaka!"

Orshie opened his mouth up wide. Out of his mouth a giant buzz saw came out. Kousuke couldn't move. He was too frightened from the saw blade to move. If he didn't move soon he was going to be sliced in half.

Just when it looked like Kousuke was going to be sliced in half by the giant buzz saw, he was pushed to the ground by something he could only imagine to be a train.

" _Who pushed me?" _

When Kousuke looked back he thought he would see Hikari coming back to help him, but what he found instead was a prodigious looking boy. The same green haired boy with the cape and the fur pelts pushed him out of the way. Kousuke was too confused at everything happening to him it felt like he was going to pass out.

Kousuke fell with his back hitting the ground. The boy was staring down at him. His face was foreshadowed from the light and he was crying. Kousuke felt in synch with the boy as his sad weary face caused him to leak out like a faucet.

" Why aren't you moving? You could've died" the boy cried on top of the saddened Kousuke.

" I'm so scared," Kousuke cried back to the boy.

" I'm scared too, but that's no reason to die. You have to keep moving. You have to never stop. If you keep going something good is going to come out of it."

" Something good..."

" Yes. Doesn't anything matter to you? Don't you want something? You have to keep moving to get that."

" An interesting theory," the smug boy Osrhie laughed. " I can't believe they let someone as soft-hearted and weak like you enter the tournament."

" T-Tournament?" Kousuke stuttered.

" But then again I guess you can't be too picky when there's over twice as many Mamodo then from the last tournament. The question is though...who is going to be the king?"

" King? Mamodo? W-What?"

" Kabosaka!"

Another giant buzz saw was fired out of the small boys' mouth and headed towards Kousuke and the small green-haired boy. Kousuke however found newfound strength after listening to what the boy said. Kousuke ran away, boy in hands, and ran out the door from his room to the hall.

" I want to live!"

Kousuke was near the stairs on the other end of the hall. However, behind him the sound of a buzz saw was heard. It sounded almost like a flying saucer. Kousuke jumped to the right and crashed through the door of one room.

" He's in there, Rin-shin," Osrhie's voice was heard on the other side of the door.

" Well let's get him. Kabosaka!"

Kousuke fell to the ground with the boy in his hands as a giant buzz saw flew right through the wall. The buzz saw went through the wall behind Kousuke. It created a tear space large enough for Kousuke to crawl through. But if he fell he might break his legs, or even worse...

" Rin-shin, I think I got him!"

" Well let's just double. check. Kabosaka! Kabosaka! Kabosaka! KABOSAKA!"

" This is suicide!"

Kousuke ran to the hole created from the last buzz saw and jumped out with the boy and book in his hands. It was so dark out that Kousuke couldn't even see the ground. In his last moments he pried the green book from the young boys arms, he didn't know why, and shouted as loud as he could the only word he could read:

" REONTREE!"

From the green-haired boys mouth a small bulb came out. The bulb sprouted into a bush, and then grew into a giant tree. The tree was the first thing to touch the ground. Kousuke slid down the tree. Soon he landed safely on the ground.

" _What was that? First there's this boy that fires buzz saws and now there's kids that fire trees out of their mouths. This has got to be a dream. Nothing but a realistic dream-"_

A giant buzz saw was fired out of nowhere nearly hitting Kousuke. The light outside however was so dim that he couldn't make a clear shot.

" Did I get him?" Orshie shouted on the top of the house.

" No. But we won't miss him this time!" Rin-shin shouted.

" Time to go!"

Kousuke ran as fast as he could away from his house into the streets. The light there was much dimmer than the light around Kousuke's house. So dim that Rin-shin and Orshie couldn't get a clear target.

" Do you know what, Orshie."

" What, Rin-shin?"

" This has got to be our very first battle against a Mamodo together. And do you know what, Orshie."

" What, Rin-shin."

" I'm enjoying every minute of it. This is the rush I've been looking for. So let's find this little boy and sever the bonds between him and his Mamodo and for all."


	6. Chapter 6

Kousuke was running through the forest with a boy clinging to his back. Kousuke was exhausted. Any moment it felt like his lungs were going to explode. Kousuke never was an athlete at school. He dropped the boy off at a rock. Kousuke tried catching his breath, rubbed two fingers on the side of his neck and breathed checking his blood pressure.

" _Great. I'm alone in the middle of the woods. It's dark. I'm being chased by two cynical crazy people who can fire giant saw blades. And there's a ninety-nine percent chance I'm going to die. How can this get any worse?" _

" Daddy..." the green haired boy moaned. " Daddy."

" _What's with this kid? Where did he even show up in the first place? Someone please wake me up. This has got to be a dream." _

Kousuke heard footsteps running behind him. Kousuke thought of whatever chasing him to be a dangerous beast. He grabbed the boy, raised him above his head and carried him up the tree with the boy clinging to his back. Kousuke felt like a sloth climbing up a tree trying to get it's leaves. Kousuke climbed up a branch and hugged his arms around it.

No sooner did Kousuke reach the branch did a pair of two people showed up. One was a tall and massive man with a bald head who donned clothes initially mirrored those that were commonly seen worn by ancient civilizations such as Mayans. In his hands was a beige book much like the one the boy was carrying. The other a short boy with blonde hair kept in a neat bowl cut, with a few wayward strands covering his forehead, and others jutting upwards on top of his head; he had large dark eyes. Initial attire consisted of a black suit, with its sleeves and lower legs adorned by cross-like motifs outlined in a light color. Under it was a lilac shirt, with a darker purple tie around the neck, and polished loafers.

" _Great, more weirdoes. Who are these two anyways?"_

" Are you sure we're going to be safe here, Sadao?" The young boy asked the bald man. " Those guys that were chasing us...they aren't going to find us here, are they?"

" Don't worry. This is the safest place I could find, Fuin," the bald man said to the boy.

" I don't know. I feel like there's another Mamomo around here. I think as a liability we should keep moving."

" I'm through with running. If these Mamodo's do show up here I want to fight them."

" _This guy is some kind of muscle head and the boy is some kind of worrywart. They don't really seem that dangerous. Maybe I should climb down and ask them if they can help us-"_

" Yes, I thought I smelled the flesh of a Mamodo around here, Rin-Shin. And there they are."

" Yes. There they are, Orshie. All ready for us to defeat."

From the darkness the duo of crazy Mamodo and human Orshie and Rin-Shin showed up. Rin-Shin's book glowed. Rin-Shin took a deep breath from his mouth, screamed.

" Kabosaka!"

A giant buzz saw was fired from Orshie's mouth. The buzz saw zoomed towards the bald haired man and the boy. The bald man Sadao's book glowed bright beige. Sadao took one deep breath of air from his mouth and prepared to scream.

" Zeruk!"

The innocent looking boy Fuin underwent a strange transformation. His hair became wild, his eyes turned the color bright red, and his clothes teared away as nothing but his underwear were left. Fuin also grew a pair of savage and lethal claws. Fuin slashed his claws at the buzz saw ripping it in half.

" Yes!" Fuin laughed wickedly after slicing the buzz saw in half. " Sadao, keep reading the spell."

" With pleasure. Zeruk!"

A strong aura glowed out of Fuin's body. His claws extended further out. Fuin charged towards Rin-Shin and Orshie spinning his body around. Rin- Shin and Orshie both jumped out of the way before the buzz saw could cut them in half. The buzz saw went right through a tree and cut it in half. The tree fell down crashing to the ground. The book in Sadao's hands kept glowing while he kept shouting the same spell.

" Zeruk! Zeruk! Zeruk!"

Every time he shouted the spell Fuin's claws extended further and further out. Fuin seemed like a wild animal. If Sadao kept saying his spell then Fuin would become nothing but a vicious wild animal. Rin- Shin and Orshie both got up. Rin-Shin's book glowed bright inside the pages.

" Kabryuki!"

Orshie opened his mouth again. This time what seemed like a caged fence was fired from his mouth. The cage was fired behind Fuin's back and wrapped around him. Fuin tried slicing the cage away but his claws were constricted with his hands. Both Rin-Shin and Orshie mocked Fuin by laughing at the trapped Mamodo. Both of them then turned around and walked to Sadao.

" You've got no one to protect you now, baldy," Orshie laughed. " Me and my associate are going to slice you in half. Rin-Shin, read the spell!"

"Kabosa-!"

" No!" Kousuke jumped from the tree branch. He kicked Rin-Shin under his chin before he could finish his sentence. Sadao was surprised, for it was the first time anyone ever did something like that for him. " This battle is between you and me! Fight me!"


	7. Chapter 7

" Do you sense it, old man?"

" No. Your kind are the one one's that can sense others. Are they strong?"

" No. The level of one is of a Mamodo with only one spell and other is a Mamodo with three spells. Fighting them would be just a waste of my time."

" I don't know."

" What is it, old man?"

" It's nothing. I just have this sense about the Mamodo with the one spell. There might be more to him than we think."

XXX

Kousuke was fast even though he had a hunchback. It was a small hunchback, one that was hard to see, but it was one of the many birth defects that haunted him for the

rest of his life. Besides his ugly toad face and his shortness, the hunchback was something he hated to look at.

Kousuke and the boy on his shoulder's were in the middle of the street. They were alone. There were garbage cans out for the garbage truck tomorrow as well plastic

boxes, light bulbs shining over his head, and no noise but the sound of crows " kaw, kaw, kaw-ing".

" Now I'm going to let you go now, little boy," Kousuke said to the boy hanging on his shoulders. " When I let go I want you to run as fast as you can away from here.

Get away from me. Things are getting completely insane, and I don't want you hanging around me when those two psycho's show up."

" I can't leave you," the boy said in Kousuke's ears.

" I'm sorry, I thought you said you couldn't leave me," Kousuke laughed sarcastically. " You wouldn't be saying that, would you? Because what you should be doing is

getting off my back and leaving me."

" I can't. I need to stay close to you."

Kousuke threw the young boy off his back. He growled at the boy showing him his canine teeth and furious eyes. " Go on! Scram! Beat it! I don't want you company! My

life was fine until you showed up! Just get lost!"

The boy didn't seem to understand Kousuke's emotions. He crawled to him with his hands and knees touching the pavement, and then he hugged Kousuke's right leg.

Kousuke's chins both lit up at the touch of the boy's warm fingers. He could remember a memory."

"_** Congratulations, Mrs. Amai. You've given birth to a happy boy."**_

**_" Can I see my baby?"_**

**_" Of course."_**

**_" Aww. Hello there, Kousuke. I'm your mommy. Daddy is going to be so happy when he sees you."_**

But that happy memory didn't last long. Kousuke had another memory. In the memory his mother was dead, his father slapped him, and he was crying while his father just

yelled at him.

**_" You monster! How could you do this to her!? She's dead entirely because of you! You should've never been born, you monster!"_**

" Get off me!"

Kousuke kicked the boy with his free foot. The boy fell back. When the boy got back up a small bruise mark was on his left cheek. The boy rubbed his cheek. He almost

looked as if he was about to cry.

" Don't touch me! And don't look at me with those eyes! I hate them-everyone of my peers. They all resent me, they all mock me, and they all laugh at me. But you

know, it's people like you that try to show me compassion I hate the most! Stay away from me-"

The boy didn't give up on Kousuke. He had his arms wrapped Kousuke's leg, the leg that kicked him, and he hugged it. Just like before Kousuke's cheeks were burning

bright red. Another warm memory went through his mind.

"**_ Dad? I'm a dad now."_**

**_" Yes. And I'm a mommy. Hey there, Kousuke, there's your dad. He's someone who wants to meet you."_**

**_His father held Kousuke with both hands over his head. He smiled at the face of his baby. " Hi there, Kousuke. I'm your dad." A bright yellow liquid dripped out_**

**_between baby Kousuke's legs and dripped on his father's head. The dad wiped his face and spat trying to wipe the yellow liquids off. " Ah! He peed on me!"_**

**_" Hehehe. Just like when you were born. You peed on your father. Like father like son."_**

Another memory was starting to form inside Kousuke's brain. It was an unhappy memory. Kousuke started getting fragments of the memory. The memory it's self was too

much for him to take. He covered his ears and screamed " NO!"

Kousuke kept holding his hands over his ears and shaked his head trying his hardest to forget. " No! No! No! NO! I will not let even a kid get the better of me.

Get..." Kousuke heard a noise moving towards him. He grabbed the garbage can top off the grabage can and turned around. " Get down!"

A laser beam of white light came at Kousuke. The laser beam hit the surface of the garbage can and reflected into the pavement. Out of the darkness Orshie and Rin-Shin appeared. Both Mamodo and human smiled together with perfect, dazzling sharp teeth.

" Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

" Yes. This could be their end. Kaboassra!"


	8. Chapter 8

A laser beam of white light was fired at Kousuke. Kousuke raised his garbage can container up and used it as a shield. The laser beam deflected off the can and hit theground.

" _Shit_," Kousuke thought. "_ I don't know how these guys keep doing this. But if I don't think of something I'll be like that cheese with holes in me."_

Kousuke rolled while raising his garbage can up. The light deflected off the garbage can. Kousuke took his chance pulling the garbage can back and throwing it at Rin-Shin.,He had a thought how the cumulation of Orshie's attacks were coming from Rin-Shin's Rin-Shin and Orshie jumped over the garbage can.

" Kabosaka!"

A giant buzz saw was fired from Orshie's mouth. The buzz saw sliced through the

garbage can. Both Rin-Shin and Orshie both landed on their feet. Rin-Shin prepared to

use another spell.

" This is the end for you, freak!" Orshie laughed. " Rin-Shin, the spell!"

" KABOSAKA!"

Kousuke and the green haired boy both flinched at the fear of Orshie unleashing his

attack. However, nothing came out. Zip. Nada. Nothing. Orshie and Rin-Shin were both

caught in the moment but then they realized the pedigree of their problem.

" What?" Orshie gasped. " You idiot! You used up the rest of my energy within!"

" Don't blame me, brat!" Rin-Shin shouted. " Your the one with terrible aim!"

" Well your the one who wasted spells!"

" I'm a basketball and football star! It's your fault I'm in this mess!"

" And it's your fault all my spells are gone!"

" _Good, a fight_" Kousuke thought. " _I can use this to grab the boy and getout of here. I should go while their_-"

Suddenly the boy jumped up and punched Rin-Shin in his face. The sport star fell when the boy's solid fists connected against his nasal cavity. Blood dripped out Rin-Shin's nose.

" Stay away from my partner!"

Kousuke's lips were lisp. He only could shout " You idiot!" At the green haired boy.

Orshie reflected Kousuke's actions by jumping up and punching him in his torso.

" Your dead, loser!"

The boy slid with his legs scarping against the pavement, but then he fell. Luckily he

was caught by Kousuke. The boy breathed frantically from his mouth while Kousuke held

him in his arms.

" Are you okay?"

" Yes. It's just a scratch."

" Phew._ That's a relief._ _Stupid kid."_ Kousuke was boiling with rage again. " Youidiot! What were you thinking just running in a battle without thinking?"

" They kept making fun of you. It's my role as your Mamodo to protect your honour at

all costs."

" Don't bother! I'm use to what people call me. And to hell with them! I'm ugly, I'm

hunched back, I stink, and I have anger problems. That's just the way I am. There's

nothing people call me I haven't already thought of myself."

" Do people see your benevolent side?"

" Benevolent side? What benevolent side?"

" You may not be able to see it but I can. It's so bright and elusive. If you look

deep inside yourself I'm sure you can find that part of you." The boy raised his book

to Kousuke's face. " Please read a spell."

" Go ahead," Orshie sneered. " Read a spell. Make my day."

Kousuke did what he was told. He pried the book out of the boys fingers and read the

first word he could read. Kousuke took a deep breath, feeling the adrenaline coursing

through his head, shouted...

" REONTREE!"

The boy opened his mouth. His eyes and the inside of his mouth illuminated green. A

tree was then fired from the boy's mouth and headed straight towards Orshie.

Orshie couldn't use his spells to deflect the boy's attack. He however had a different

solution. His teeth all became razor sharp and shark-like. Orshie chomped on the

branches with his sharp teeth eating through the dark. Soon the tree became nothing

less but sawdust.

" Mmmmm. Bleh, bleh!" Orshie opened his sharp teeth up wide, reached his hand in, and

pulled out a small piece of bark. " Talk about untasteful."

" _Impossible. This isn't anime. How did he do that?"_

" I beat your wondering how I could eat that tree so fast," Orshie said to Kousuke.

Kousuke flinched at the thought of Orshie being able to read his mind. " That tree is

nothing. I once ate dozens of fish in a row. We Mamodo's have ravenous appetites. We

can eat anything."

" Great. A gluttonus senile boy. That's the last thing I'm looking for."

While Kousuke and Orshie were talking to themselves Rin-Shin started thinking about

his past. He was thinking of the time where he met Orshie. It was during his last Basketball game.


	9. Chapter 9

Rin-Shin was once a young, athletic high school kid. He was fast, strong, and most of all tall-able to drop a ball in a hoop without any effort.

Rin-Shin was in a Basketball game. His teammates new him as the star. He dribbled to the opposite hoop, bounce it back and forth from and to hand, and managing to keep it out of their reach. One of the Basketball players jumped out and swiped his hand at the bal. Rin- Shin grabbed the ball. He held it away from his reach using his elbow to keep it away from his reach.

Rin-Shin threw the Basketball to his friend Ryukito. Ryukito caught the Basketball. At the same time Rin-Shin managed to slip away from the other Basketball player. Rin-Shin ran to the other hoop. Ryukito passed the ball to Rin-Shin. Rin-Shin caught the ball. There were two Basketball players waving their arms trying to make Rin-Shin miss. Rin- Shin squeezed the ball, bounced it up and down, and then he passed it to Ryukito.

Ryukito caught the ball. He threw the ball towards the hoop. The ball bounced once on the hoop. Bounced twice against the hoop. It rolled around the ring. The ball rolled around the hoop and fell through the hoop.

The game was over. The score was 18-17. Rin-Shin's team were victorious. The whole crowd cheered for them. Rin-Shin and Ryukito celebrated their victory together. Both Rin-Shin and Ryukito ran together, grabbed each other's hands, and made a bow to the crowd.

" Great game, Rin-Shin," Ryukito smiled. His teeth were bedazzling in the eyes of his teammate. " For a moment there I thought you were going to try to sink the ball by yourself."

" Nope," Rin-Shin smiled. " I know how much winning means to you, Ryukito, and, well, I just wanted you to have the chance to savor it."

" Yeah. North Japanese High doesn't stand a chance against us."

" Rin-Shin!" Rin-Shin's girlfriend Mina shouted in joy. Rin-Shin and her had been going out for over a year; they meet in his first Basketball game. She clinged onto him like a wombat. She liked cool guys. She knew it. Rin-Shin knew it. Practically everyone in school knew it." You were so cool!"

" Heh heh, thanks. Let's get out of here. I'm starved."

" But don't you want to enjoy another moment of fame?" Ryukito asked.

" Nah. I'll let everyone else enjoy it. I just want something to eat."

" Well if your going then I'm going. That's what friends are for."

XXX

Rin-Shin, Ryukito, and Mina were all enjoying tasty hamburgers and salad. Rin-Shin was slurping on a frosty while Ryukito was munching on a hamburger and Mina was eating her salad. Rin-Shin was excited. The way people would describe him was a ten year old on sugar rush.

" Just think about it. One game. We only have to do one more game. And if we win it we'll get full scholarships to college. We should totally win that game."

" I don't know about that, Rin-Shin," Ryukito said. " We're against the North Japan Panda's. They've never lost a game. And their team captain...he's nearly eight feet tall. Their going to cream us if we're not careful."

" Don't worry. It's been prolong since we're faced tough opponents, but if we work together like we always do we can pull through and win this thing."

" Your so smart, Rin-Shin." Mina said. " After we both go to college, we should get married."

" Woah, marriage. That's a pretty big step, Mina. I think we should wait a few years before that happens."

" Okay. I'm flexible. You didn't even know how to kiss properly when we first started going out."

" Not able to kiss properly. What do you mean I didn't even know how to kiss properly?"

" Don't worry. I taught you well, hubby."

" I envy you two. I mean, I know I'm gay, but I at least would like someone I can cling too. It's no fair that your the only one in the team who has someone like that for you, Rin-Shin."

" Heh Heh." Rin-Shin rubbed his head as Mina squeezed his hand. " I guess I just got lucky I guess."

" Yeah, lucky."

XXX

Rin-Shin was eating dinner with his mother. Like most days his father would be working late. And like every night his mother would have nothing to say to him. Then the door would open and his father would walk inside. He made his way to the dinner table, fully dressed in his work clothes carrying a briefcase, walk beside Rin-Shin, not even giving his wife a kiss.

" Hey there, son. I understand you had a big game today. So how did you do?"

" I won. What do you care?"

" Come on, don't be like that. I'm your father. I'm curious about everything you do. So how did you win."

" Well I was cornered with nowhere to run so I passed it too Ryukito and he-"

" Ryukito? The poor boy? Isn't he a homosexual?"

" Yes, but-"

" I don't want to hear another word. Here's the problem. You let yourself be cornered. You never realized what was happening until it was too late. How could you let Ryukito score? What if he becomes a sport star, huh? He could tell people it's okay to be gay, queer, lesbian, or even bi. That's something I don't want kids to listen to. Besides, you need to be the one on top. Capeesh?"

" Yes, dad."

" Good. This game is all you have. With your terrible grades there will be no way you'll make it into college. Remember that. Strike while the iron is hot. Later."

Every time he finished saying something to Rin-Shin he'd walk away from him and go to his office, otherwise known as his Man Cave. And every time Rin-Shin had to look at the face of his mother while she tried holding back her tears. Rin-Shin could watch it no longer.

" I was good you know. You would have been proud of me. I was real good."

" Make sure you finish all your homework. You wouldn't want to get too far behind in class."

" Yes, mommy."

For the rest of the meal both Rin-Shin and his mother ate in silence. Tomorrow would be his big game. Tomorrow...his whole life was going to change.


End file.
